HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | HUMAN 2010 WATCH RIGHTS November HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH HUMAN 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10118-3299 RIGHTS www.hrw.org WATCH “They Own the People” The Ampatuans, State-Backed Militias, and Killings in the Southern Philippines The November 2009 massacre of 58 people in Maguindanao on the southern Philippines island of Mindanao was an atrocity waiting to happen. For more than 20 years, the ruling family charged with the massacre, the Ampatuans, and its “private army” were responsible for a string of killings and other abuses in the province. The Ampatuans rose to power and enforced their rule with the help—both tacit and overt—of local officials, police, military, and eventually, the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Even after a flurry of activity and arrests following the Maguindanao massacre, over half of the suspects are still at large and the family remains powerful. They Own the People focuses on the Ampatuans and their militia. The report details their many abuses, including more than 50 alleged incidences of killings, torture, sexual assault, abductions, and enforced disappearances over two decades. It charts the Ampatuans’ rise and expansion, aided by President Arroyo, who relied on the family for crucial votes and support in the protracted armed conflict with Moro armed groups in Mindanao. Based on in-depth investigations in Mindanao, the report draws heavily on “insider” testimony provided by former members of the Ampatuans’ 2000- to 5000-strong private army. Although perhaps one of the most The Philippines | powerful and abusive forces in the Philippines, it is hardly unique: more than 100 private armies are estimated to operate throughout the country. The level of direct government support for these militias varies, but if the Ampatuan example is any indication, a history of abuses is no disqualifier. The report urges President Benigno Aquino III to ban all paramilitary and militia forces in the Philippines because of their long and continuing history of serious human rights violations. It also calls on the National Bureau of “ Investigation to prioritize investigating alleged extrajudicial killings and other serious crimes that may involve They Own the People government officials, security forces, and militias. As long as such official support continues, so will private The Philippines armies and the atrocities for which they have been responsible. HUMAN “ ” Soldiers stand guard near assorted firearms unearthed on the They Own the People RIGHTS farm of the Ampatuan family in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, in the southern Philippines on December 6, 2009. The Ampatuans, State-Backed Militias, and Killings © Reuters ” in the Southern Philippines WATCH “They Own the People” The Ampatuans, State-Backed Militias, and Killings in the Southern Philippines Copyright © 2010 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-710-8 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA Tel: +1 212 290 4700, Fax: +1 212 736 1300 [email protected] Poststraße 4-5 10178 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49 30 2593 06-10, Fax: +49 30 2593 0629 [email protected] Avenue des Gaulois, 7 1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel: + 32 (2) 732 2009, Fax: + 32 (2) 732 0471 [email protected] 64-66 Rue de Lausanne 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 738 0481, Fax: +41 22 738 1791 [email protected] 2-12 Pentonville Road, 2nd Floor London N1 9HF, UK Tel: +44 20 7713 1995, Fax: +44 20 7713 1800 [email protected] 27 Rue de Lisbonne 75008 Paris, France Tel: +33 (1)43 59 55 35, Fax: +33 (1) 43 59 55 22 [email protected] 1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 USA Tel: +1 202 612 4321, Fax: +1 202 612 4333 [email protected] Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org November 2010 ISBN: 1-56432-710-8 “They Own the People” The Ampatuans, State-Backed Militias, and Killings in the Southern Philippines Map of Central Mindanao ................................................................................................... 1 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations .................................................................................. 2 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 3 Key Recommendations .................................................................................................... 7 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 8 I. Background ................................................................................................................ 10 The Legacy of Violence in Mindanao .............................................................................. 10 The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) ............................................ 12 The Rise of the Ampatuans ............................................................................................ 13 Paramilitary Forces and Private Armies .......................................................................... 19 II. Pattern of Abuses ....................................................................................................... 25 Map of Maguindanao .................................................................................................... 25 Killings and Other Serious Abuses by Ampatuan Forces ................................................ 26 Killings and Other Abuses to Expand Political Power ............................................... 27 Revenge Killings and Other Abuses ......................................................................... 35 Violence Directed Against Women and Girls ................................................................. 43 Revenge Killings by the Mangudadatu Family ............................................................... 44 III. Perpetrators: The Ampatuans’ State-Backed Militia .................................................... 56 Structure of the Ampatuans’ Militia .............................................................................. 58 Recruitment, Payment, and Training ............................................................................. 62 Weaponry ..................................................................................................................... 64 IV. The National Government and Militia Abuses .............................................................. 68 Direct Support for the Ampatuans ................................................................................. 68 Failure to Regulate and Oversee .................................................................................... 71 Appointment of Provincial and Municipal Police Chiefs ........................................... 73 Absence of Auditing ................................................................................................ 73 Failure to Investigate and Bring Perpetrators to Justice .................................................. 74 Fears of Retribution ................................................................................................. 75 Poor Policing .......................................................................................................... 78 Threats to Human Rights Defenders ........................................................................ 79 Weakness of Human Rights Institutions ........................................................................ 80 National Commission on Human Rights .................................................................. 80 Office of the Ombudsman ........................................................................................ 81 Role of Internal Investigations Within PNP, AFP ........................................................ 81 After the Maguindanao Massacre ................................................................................. 82 V. Legal Framework ........................................................................................................ 85 Duty to Investigate and Prosecute Human Rights Violations ......................................... 85 Philippine National Law ................................................................................................ 86 Duties of Law Enforcement Officials ........................................................................ 86 Command Responsibility ........................................................................................ 87 Recruitment and Use of Children in Armed Activities ............................................... 88 VI. Role of the International Community........................................................................... 89 VII. Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 91 To the President of the Philippines ................................................................................ 91 To the Department of Justice ......................................................................................... 92 To the Department of Interior and Local Government .................................................... 93 To the Philippine National Police .................................................................................. 93 To the Armed Forces of the Philippines ......................................................................... 93 To the National Bureau of Investigation